a. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to child resistant caps, and more particularly to overcaps with safety rings for tubes, bottles and other capped containers. The present invention child resistant safety caps include improvements that enhance the safety of prior art devices by inclusion of a collar gap lock that must be released, in addition to other safety steps, before the cap can be removed from the container.
b. Description of Related Art
The following patents are representative of the field pertaining to the present invention:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,974 to Leo Boxer and Robert Boxer describes a safety cap and container combination wherein the container mouth includes a plurality of spaced ribs or flanges, each having a differently located, notched out passageway over which a cap member having at least one projecting internal lug is positioned in a single movement to close the container. In one form of the invention, a bead at the rim of the container mouth may be provided to mate with an internal groove in the cap member to seal tightly the cap member to the container. In order to remove the cap member, it is moved partially away from the container to disengage the bead from the groove and the lug member is then positioned and aligned with each slot and advanced therethrough in successive fashion to open the mouth of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,578 to Gene Bailin sets forth a novel disposable closure. The device includes an opener for opening a closure cap along a score line around the base of an annular channel without piercing the cap. It includes a collar which rotatably and slidably engages the cap and includes a peripheral wall provided with circumferentially spaced depending arcuate teeth of greater thickness than the channel and stop elements which limit the downward movement of the device on the cap. The device is pressed downwardly and rotated so that the teeth wedge between and spread the channel walls to sever the closure along the full length of the score line. The piercing of the channel by the teeth is prevented by the stop elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,718 to Cheung Tung Kong describes a convertible safety cap. A cap is provided for closing a container having a locking portion for use in a precautionary arrangement to prevent children from obtaining access into the container. The cap is convertible so as to cooperate with such a container to provide not only such a precautionary arrangement but also an alternative easy opening arrangement. The invention includes a cap, an annular disk and a locking rim with notches through which tabs on the cap may pass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,361,243 to Risto Virtinen describes a closing means for a container, tube or the like. This device is a closing means for a nozzle that is fixably mounting on a container or for a tube or the like. The closing means is openable when turned into a predetermined position that is indicated by indicators provided on the closing means and on the container. It is settable diametrically opposite to each other, and characterized in that the lower rim of the closing means or the upper rim of the container is provided with a separate background ring extending at least partially behind the indicator of the closing means and the indicator of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,796 to Hunter describes packaging having a combination lock closure which is rendered child resistant in a manner that maintains ease of adult use and economy of manufacture while providing adequate protection of child health. The technique comprises the steps of selecting an appropriate child resistance effectiveness, selecting an appropriate older adult use effectiveness, determining a probability of random opening that correlates with the selected child resistances effectiveness and provides at least the selected older adult use effectiveness, and configuring the combination lock closure to present to the package user said probability of random opening. Configuring the closure may include providing a plurality of tumblers, only one of which is accessible to manual manipulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,043 to Glynn describes a spray dispenser device closure. It includes a main closure base for attachment to a container, an outer ring, a spray mechanism attached to the base and an overcap. The main closure base has a top portion with a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring. The outer ring has a circular inside wall with a horizontal track thereon for attachment to the track of the base so as to connect them in such a way as to be horizontally and freely rotatable thereabout. The outer ring has a top with an inwardly biased ledge for retaining an overcap and has at least one cut out on the ledge to permit an overcap to be inserted and removed from the outer ring. The spray mechanism is attached to the top of the base and extends therethrough for insertion into a container. The overcap has a circular bottom adapted to be inserted into the outer ring and over the spray mechanism. The bottom of the overcap has at least one protrusion which has a geometry of adequate size to freely move through the cut out of the ledge of the outer ring. When the overcap is inserted and rotated, it can not be removed unless the protrusion is aligned with the cut out. In preferred embodiments, the ledge of the outer ring has adequate flexibility to allow the overcap to be pushed down without alignment of the protrusion and the cut out, but not to be removed unless alignment is first provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,900 to Glynn describes the present invention which is directed to a child resistant snap cap container device which includes a container, a collar ring, a snap cap and a spring. The container has a neck with a lower retainer bead and an upper retainer bead thereon and has at least one stop located below the lower retainer bead and at least one derailer lift located above the lower retainer. The collar ring is fitted onto the neck and has undercut ledges located on its inside so as to fit under the lower retainer bead of the neck and in horizontal alignment with the stop(s). The snap cap has a snap lip and has derailers located on its inside wall. It is hinged to the collar ring. The cap is adapted to fit onto the neck with the derailers being located below the upper retainer bead. There is at least one spring located between the ring and the shoulder of the container which biases the ring upwardly such that the container cannot be opened merely by rotation but must be pushed down and rotated to open.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,255 to Glynn describes a dispenser closure, having a main closure base for attachment to a container, an outer ring and a push-pull dispenser mechanism attached to the base. The main closure base has a top portion with a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring and the outer ring has a corresponding circular inside wall horizontal track. They are connected so as to be freely horizontally rotatable thereabout, but otherwise permanently connected to one another. The outer ring has a top with an inwardly biased ledge for retaining a push-pull sleeve of the push-pull mechanism, and has a downwardly extended aspect to the ledge to retain the sleeve closed, and at least one cut out on the ledge to permit the sleeve to be pulled up to an open position. The sleeve has a circular bottom for inserting into the outer ring and over a push-pull stem of the push-pull mechanism. The bottom of the sleeve has at least one protrusion with geometry of adequate size to freely move up the cut out of the ledge of the outer ring when aligned therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,181 to Glynn describes dispenser closure includes a main closure base attachable to a container, an outer ring, an inner cap removably attached to the base and an overcap. The main closure base has a top portion with a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring. The outer ring has a circular inside wall with a horizontal track thereon for attachment to the track of the base so as to connect them in such a way as to be horizontally and freely rotatable thereabout. The outer ring has a top with an inwardly biased ledge for retaining an overcap and has at least one cut out on the ledge to permit an overcap to be inserted and removed from the outer ring. The overcap has a circular bottom adapted to be inserted into the outer ring and over the spray mechanism. The bottom of the overcap has at least one protrusion which has a geometry of adequate size to freely move through the cut out of the ledge of the outer ring. When the overcap is inserted and rotated, it can not be removed unless the protrusion is aligned with the cut out. In preferred embodiments, the ledge of the outer ring has adequate flexibility to allow the overcap to be pushed down without alignment of the protrusion and the cut out, but not to be removed unless alignment is first provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,580 to Glynn describes a spray dispenser device closure. It includes a main closure base for attachment to a container, an outer ring, a spray mechanism attached to the base and an overcap. The main closure base has a top portion with a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring. The outer ring has a circular inside wall with a horizontal track thereon for attachment to the track of the base so as to connect them in such a way as to be horizontally and freely rotatable thereabout. The outer ring has a top with an outwardly biased ledge for retaining an overcap and has at least one cut out on the ledge to permit an overcap to be inserted and removed from the outer ring. The spray mechanism is attached to the top of the base and extends therethrough for insertion into a container. The overcap has a circular bottom adapted to be inserted into the outer ring and over the spray mechanism. The bottom of the overcap has at least one protrusion which has a geometry of adequate size to freely move through the cut out of the ledge of the outer ring. When the overcap is inserted and rotated, it can not be removed unless the protrusion is aligned with the cut out.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,905 to Glynn describes a spray dispenser device closure. It includes a main closure base for attachment to a container, an outer ring, a spray mechanism attached to the base, a semi-flexible tether, and an overcap. The main closure base has a top portion with a circular horizontal track thereon for attachment with an outer ring. The outer ring has a circular inside wall with a horizontal track thereon for attachment to the track of the base so as to connect them in such a way as to be horizontally and freely rotatable thereabout. The outer ring has a top with an outwardly or, alternatively, an inwardly biased ledge for retaining an overcap and has at least one cut out on the ledge to permit an overcap to be inserted and removed from the outer ring. The overcap has a circular bottom adapted to be inserted into or, alternatively, onto the outer ring and over the spray mechanism. The bottom of the overcap has at least one protrusion which has a geometry of adequate size to freely move through the cut out of the ledge of the outer ring. When the overcap is inserted and rotated, it can not be removed unless the protrusion is aligned with the cut out. The semi-flexible tether has a rest position and a twisted position and has a first end connected to the outer ring and a second end connected to the overcap.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,704 to Glynn describes a container closure device, which includes a container, a collar ring and a cap. The container has a neck, an open top and a horizontal retainer track thereon for affixing a collar ring thereto. A collar ring affixed to a track of the container has a plurality of cut outs on a ledge to permit a cap to be inserted and removed from the collar ring. The cap has a plurality of bosses which correspond to and are sized to freely move through the cut outs of the ledge of the collar ring and, when the cap is so inserted and rotated, of adequate size to cause frictional engagement and to cause simultaneous rotation of the cap and the collar ring and to prevent removal of the cap from the collar ring, except when the cap and the collar ring are held separately and are rotated relative to one another such that the bosses and the cut outs are in alignment for lift up removal of the cap from the collar ring. Corresponding bosses and cut outs have different lengths and depths so that one boss cannot slip through a non-matched cut out.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,036,672 B2 to Jaycox describes a packaging system that includes an elongate vessel and a lid. The vessel includes a bottom wall, a top surface, and a cylindrical body between the top surface and bottom wall. The body includes an outer surface, a tapered inner surface, and a vertical portion. The vertical portion extends between the tapered inner surface and the top surface. The vessel further includes a plurality of locking tabs formed on the outer surface. The lid includes a cylindrical body, an interior perimeter and an inner surface, and an inner sealing ring extending from the inner surface and configured to engage and seal against the vertical portion of the elongate vessel. The lid also includes an outer sealing ring extending down from the inner surface and out from the interior perimeter, a plurality of tab receptacles positioned within the lid cylindrical body, and a plurality of notches within the cylindrical body positioned between the plurality of tab receptacles. The tab receptacles are configured to receive the plurality of locking tabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,111,746 B2 to Mitolli et al. describes a shellable, positively lockable, child resistant closure and container that includes a pair of nested inner and outer caps designed to be purposefully shellable for use in its non-child resistant mode. The inner cap is coaxially positioned and nested within the outer cap such that a row of angular abutments of the inner cap engage a row of angular abutments of the outer cap upon rotation of the outer cap in a closing direction, and upon rotation of the outer cap in an opening direction, without a concomitant axial force, the respective angular abutments cam over and past each other to prevent rotation of the inner cap. Additionally, the inner cap contains a positive locking device for engagement with a complementary locking device on the neck of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,246,715 B2 to Smith et al. describes a reclosable lid 310 for a container holding a flowable substance that has a cover 312 and a rotatable element 50 rotatably supported by the cover 312. The cover 312 has an opening 28 and a slot 30 located in a top wall 14 of the cover 312. The cover 312 also has a tab 323 extending outward from a portion of the cover 312. The rotatable element 50 has at least one aperture 78 and an actuator 54 that is accessible through the slot 30. The element 50 is moveable by manipulation of the actuator 54 between a first position wherein the aperture 78 is misaligned with the opening 28, and a second position wherein the aperture 78 is aligned with the opening 28. The cover 312 has at least one support member 102 extending radially inward from an inner surface 100 of the cover 312, wherein the support member 102 rotatably supports the element 50.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,600,648 B2 to Hamer describes a locking cap for a container that has a combination lock built into the top. Two or more thumbwheels with numbers or letters are mounted beneath the top surface of the cap or gung plugs. The thumb wheels have through holes corresponding to the numbers or letters. One or more pins are slidably mounted in the cap. The pins are locked by the thumb wheels unless the through holes are in alignment. The pins either project through holes in the container or abut inwardly, projecting portions with the top of the container to prevent turning of the cap unless the pins are retracted. Combinations of numbers or letters can be preset at manufacture, or selected at or after sale, using plugs to fill selected through holes.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,264 B2 to Brozell et al. describes a child-resistant package which includes a container having a finish with an open end, external thread, stop lug projecting radially outwardly from the finish, and a closure having a base wall, a skirt with internal thread for engagement with the thread on the container finish, spring element and pair of internal lugs on the skirt and extending radially inwardly from the skirt. Each pair of internal lugs includes a first lug that cooperates with the stop lug on the container finish to prevent unthreading of the closure from the finish absent pressure on the closure against the spring element to push the first lug beneath the corresponding stop lug on the container finish, and a second lug circumferentially spaced from the first lug that cooperates with the stop lug to prevent over tightening of the closure on the finish.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,902 B2 to DeJonge describes a child resistant cap with a U-channel safety component that includes an inner and an outer member. The inner member has sidewalls with two horizontal tracks, being an upper and a lower track. There in a top horizontal flange with breaks to permit movement of outer member inwardly projecting lugs therethrough, and a central horizontal flange with breaks to permit movement of inwardly projecting lugs from the lower track upwardly past the central horizontal break, past the upper track, and through the breaks of the upper track top horizontal flange. There are vertical stops that prevent the lugs from entering the break when in the upper track, and one stop adjacent one break on the lower track to permit lugs to enter the break when in the lower track. A user rotates the outer member to a position for movement to the lower track, rotates to a stop, and lists to open.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0360969 to Ackerman et al. describes a one component or embodiment of a locking medical container that is the quality of the material used. The sterile non-chemically reactive polypropylene container is suitable for most medical applications. The lock and all its components are made strong to secure the medications from all but the prescribed user. This is done by using a structural method that joins the parts in such a manner as to produce a solid locking unit. The snap in capability of some of the parts used remove manufacture difficulties that are found in other locking devices. This unit when completed is sealed, sterile and very strong. The user simply rotates the tumbler and removes the cavity obstruction to gain access to the contents of the container.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.